Spring berries

I picked up my first strawberries last week at Van Grootheest farm stand. Thanks for the heads up Reg. They were delicious, of course. So sweet and yummy. I don’t know why I expect the first strawberries to be tart and not quite ripe. I didn’t expect any strawberries to be ready so soon, especially with this cold spring we have had. I don’t like to have breakfast too early unless I’m on vacation and I don’t like food with my coffee, but I do like a sweet in the morning with my coffee so I made a strawberry cake to have with my espresso. I didn’t have any lemons, but thought lime would be nicer with the strawberry anyway. My son saw me zesting the lime into the cake and said if you add some rum you will have a Daiquiri—and so I did. Of course, I could have poured some tequila in and made it Margarita. Maybe next time. Turned out super good and was fast to make. Will do it again soon and add some rhubarb.

Strawberry daiquiri cake
1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup yogurt

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup soft butter

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 tablespoon white Rum

2 1/4 cups icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or oil spray an 8-inch glass baking dish or other cake pan. In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest. In another larger bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, yogurt, juice and rum. Add wet to dry and stir until combined. Toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon flour and fold into cake batter. Bake for cake 30 to 40 minutes until top is golden and middle is set. Meanwhile, cream together cheese, butter, juice and zest, and rum. Stir in icing sugar until smooth. Chill until ready to use. Cool cake completely and then spread frosting evenly on top.

Makes 9 servings.